This invention relates to devices for roping skills training, and particularly, to training devices for steer head roping skills.
Steer head roping is perhaps one of the oldest roping skills practiced by those engaged in cattle ranching operations. It remains a vital skill for those involved in handling cattle on the open range and in other settings, even in the most modem of ranching operations.
Interest in developing roping skills and in roping competition has also steadily increased, particularly with the advent of rodeo and jackpot team roping, which has become one of the more popular forms of equestrian competition. Currently, over a hundred thousand team ropers compete each year for millions of dollars in prize money. These competitions are held throughout the west, mid-west and southern states.
Team roping involves one team member, the header, roping the head and the other team member, the heeler, roping the hind legs of the steer. Because of the highly competitive nature of this event, a high level of proficiency involving split second timing is required for the team member which ropes the head. The high level of proficiency required can only be developed through a considerable amount of repetitive practice.
Because there is only a limited number of practice animals and limited facilities for practicing, the repetitive practice of roping skills on live animals is not practical. It is also not humane because of the cumulative stress and distress imposed on the animals. Furthermore, obtaining and maintaining a collection of livestock and a large arena with the required facilities is very costly. Also, it is very difficult to make efficient use of one""s time in practicing with live animals. Accordingly, there has long been a need for alternative means for practice and training.
Training devices of various kinds have been developed through the years to assist in the training of headers. Since most headers prefer to rope just the horns of the steer, the simplest training device is a set of horns which can be affixed to a bail of hay or any other anchoring object. The simple devices also include a dummy steer head, with dimensions approximating a typical steer head and with horns of a fixed length. These simple devices can also be mounted on a mobile object such as an ATV or a simulated steer pulled behind a motor vehicle to provide for some in-motion training from horseback. These devices require the roper to manually remove the rope from the horns or head of the dummy before proceeding with another practice throw.
Several prior art devices have been developed to deal with these problems and limitations of typical steer head roping dummies. U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,939 to Sprout discloses an apparatus with hinged horns which immediately releases the rope with little resistance. The roper will often have difficulty determining if he has correctly roped both horns. U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,570 to Hallam discloses an apparatus incorporating retractable horns which are remotely actuated and retracted into a hollow steer head, thereby releasing the rope. The horns are then extended back to the roping position for further practice.
Known devices each provide an alternative means for practicing steer head roping without the use of live animals. However, each of these devices fails to meet one or more of the obvious objectives for such a training apparatus.
One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping training apparatus which provides for an automatic, quick but confirmable release of the rope so that the roping practice can be immediately repeated without re-setup or other delay.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a steer head roping training apparatus which simulates a typical steer head.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping training apparatus which allows the ready exchange of horns of various lengths.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping intraining apparatus which can be readily affixed to an ATV frame or simulated steer for in-motion training.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping training apparatus which can be readily affixed to popular heeling training apparatuses so that team roping skills of heading and heeling can be practiced simultaneously and in concert by team members.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping training apparatus which is economical, light and durable. A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a steer head roping training apparatus with inexpensive and easily replaceable parts.
The present invention comprises a simulated steer head with horns of a selected length which are pivotally attached to the simulated steer head in transverse pivot grooves. Downward pivoting of each of the horns is limited to an anatomically correct position and the upward pivoting of the horns is in a plane which is roughly perpendicular to the normal direction of forward movement of the simulated animal or may be angled rearward from the vertical so that the tips of the horn rotate somewhat rearward as they are pivoted upward. This pivot angle is determined by the angle of inclination of the pivot groove and the corresponding pivot bolt axis. A tension spring extends between spring anchors on the bottom or the inside end of each of the horns, thereby maintaining the horns in the downward anatomically correct position until they are urged upward during roping practice.
As the user lassos the horns and pulls on the rope, thereby tightening the rope around the horns, the horns pivot with the tips rotating upward, thereby releasing the rope for the next roping practice attempt. Some embodiments also provide for somewhat rearward rotation of the tips of the horns as they rotate upward, thereby facilitating the release of the rope. A tension spring provides desired resistance to the release, thereby providing the user an opportunity to determine that both horns have been appropriately roped. Upon the release of the rope, the horns snap back to the anatomically correct position, ready for another roping attempt.
The apparatus of the present invention may also be equipped with a pivot mount, such as a hay bracket, at the rear end of the simulated steer head by which the head can be pivotally mounted to a support. This pivot mount limits the downward rotation of the head to an anatomically correct forward down position, but allows upward rotation as the rope is tightened and pulled on the horns by the user, thereby facilitating the release of the rope by the apparatus.